Hybrid Theory
by Split Persona
Summary: Kai is forced to return to the Abbey by Voltaire to force him to submit. When he refuses Boris is given permission to take drastic measures which lure a certain beyblader into BioVolt's domain. CANCELLED. SEE PROFILE.
1. Prologue

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A/N: Hello, this is Kathrine here. We've decided to give our own go at the writing of Beyblade fanfics.

JC: Only because Boys-on-Boysenberry told us to. (Smiles sheepishly.)

Kathrine: And we've decided to torture our favorite character Kai.

JC: Hey! I thought Rei was your favorite character!

Kathrine: He was until I started watching all the Kai episodes of Beyblade again and reading so many fanfics. So much can change in a week. And besides, he thrives so well when in pain. ^_^

JC: As you can tell she's the crazy one.

Kathrine: And proud of it. Anyway, this is our very first Beyblade fic so go easy on us if things aren't perfect. We're trying.

JC: Usually we would go with the Japanese names seeing how we prefer using the originals, but we cannot, and we _mean_ CANNOT call Tala, YURI!!! 

Kathrine: Especially seeing as we are fans of YURI pairings for some Anime that wouldn't work out. It would just be too weird.

JC: This was longer than it needed to be so let's get on with the fic.

Kathrine: Just a prologue, but we've already started on Chapter 1. ^_~

Disclaimer: We don't own. If we did than it REALLY wouldn't be a child's show if ya catch our drift. ^_~ And the idea came to us by reading Boys-on-Boysenberry's fic, _When Our Eyes Meet_. It's not exactly like hers hopefully, but we'll try to make it as original as we can.

Warnings: YAOI/Shounen Ai, main threesome (We don't care either) TalaxReixKai (DID ANYONE CHECK OUR BIO TO SEE THAT THIS WAS SCREWWED UP?), Dark themes, Voltaire and Boris (at least their good at being villains), NCS, and anything else we conjure up later on. Enjoy. ^_^

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Hybrid Theory

By JC and Kathrine

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Prologue

Lightning flashed in the sky, thunder roared, both testaments of the storm that was upon the city of Tokyo. Rain had yet to fall, as if waiting for the perfect moment to descend upon the earth. Nothing changed, everything going on as would regularly. And to prove said statement the usual argument continued on in the darkness of the night.

" I am not going back," Kai repeated in the same set tone. " I'm not going back to the Abbey." He crimson eyes glared at the elderly man who he was forced to call family. It had all started when he'd returned home after the World Championship in Moscow. His 'grandfather' had been enraged that he acting on his own, not abiding by the 'laws' he'd set like a good little puppet. 

The blue-haired boy refused to be used and so continued to do as he pleased, which pretty much consisted of going to school, coming home, doing all of his schoolwork, and then staying in his room for the rest of the night. He wasn't acting wild like most teenagers would to get back at the parents or guardians. No, doing such things would only give Voltaire a reason to ship him off to a boot camp of some sort. On the contrary, by simply refusing to actually train with Dranzer was enough to drive the old man to the edge.

" I can just as easily disown you as I can force you to return to the Abbey," the same threat the teen had been hearing the entire week. It didn't seem like his 'grandfather' to repeat the same warning over and over constantly, but hearing was believing. 

" I don't really care if you _do_ disown me," the blue-haired blader replied as he always did. " I'm NOT going back." With that he finished the argument by turning away from the old man and leaving the room. He knew that doing so was also another notch in raising Voltaire's temper. The man hated when people turned their backs on him. But by doing so he didn't see the strange smirk or the dark glint in the other's eyes and he went to the stairs and ascended them to his room.

He also didn't hear the words that his 'grandfather' spoke after he was gone, " As I said, I can disown you just as easily as I can _force_ you."

*****

The blue-haired boy sat at the edge of his bed, questions floating about without order. He didn't understand what his 'grandfather' was up to. Usually he would have just tried to make him go back to the Abbey instead of arguing with him for days. It just didn't make sense. He eyes traveled about his room, not even bothering to really take in the bland dark blue and black that were the only colors visible.

His vision landed on his dark wood desk, more precisely what was on his desk. It was a sheet a paper printed out by his former teammate Kenny that had all the addresses of the Bladebreakers on it. The small brunette had hoped that it would push all of them to stay in touch. He knew that Max and Tyson would more the likely talk to each other on a regular basis seeing as they had become so close. 

Kenny and the blue-haired dragon blader were friends before any of this had even begun so he saw no reason why they would cut ties. He knew that Tyson and Kenny lived just on the other side of town, but he saw no reason to contact them. Their team was dissolved until the next championship or tournament and they had their own lives to lead. The ride was fun, but he had to get off and go home. Besides, Rei lived in China so he really didn't see how they could actually 'hang out' with him.

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Rei… his thoughts quickly turned to the black-haired neko-jin. He'd been thinking of the other quite often lately. It was strange. He'd finally began to consider the three of boys that had made up the rest of their team as something close to 'friends', but Rei had always been different. He saw something in Rei that the others didn't have, something that he didn't think anyone else could see.

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Maybe I would have been like him if I hadn't been born a Hiwatari, he thought idly. He the recalled the determination, the skill, the kindness, the untamed spirit that was Rei Kon. He understood things and was more comprehending about the ways things truly worked in the world, but still very naïve._ I guess that's what happens when you live in a mountain village for most of your life, _he guessed. _You understand but you never witness everything up close and personal._

For some strange reason, Kai suddenly had the urge to write to the Chinese boy. The growing need was somewhat disturbing seeing as the only person he'd ever felt this way about before was… _Tala,_ he sighed. How was his red-haired former teammate? He felt a tinged of worry at the thought of what Boris had no doubt done to Tala for losing to Tyson and costing the Demolition Boys the World Championship and costing his own 'grandfather' his ambitions.

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And they were worried about **me**_, _he wanted to laugh at the irony. Voltaire wouldn't dare try to do anything to him, though he could tell he wanted to, because people were now watching him. They expected the old man to hurt him so that they send him to jail while they got more information to send him to prison for longer than the probation (his lawyers not being well paid for nothing) he would get for child abuse. None of them even thought of what would happen to the Demolition Boys after they lost, especially Tala seeing as he was their team captain.

Finally giving into the urge as a hope to push out the depressing thoughts in his mind, Kai stood and walked over to his desk, pulling out paper and pen so that he could actually write his letter to Rei. But he also decided that he wouldn't actually 'send' the letter, seeing as what he would put in it would far too personal for anyone to read. But by actually writing the letter it would help him to release some of his frustration. He sat down and just began to write, not really caring what he wrote as all he wanted was a distraction from his own mind. Time seemed to flow by steadily, allowing him the reprieve he needed to desperately.

It took him an hour to write a full-page letter and yet he actually felt somewhat pleased with himself for it. He written what he felt, actually put his feeling into words. Why the thought of Rei reading it caused his words come so simply, he didn't understand. _Maybe I should write to Tala as well, _he thought, but then shook the suggestion away. It was thing to write one to Rei seeing as he never planned to mail it, but he had no idea what he could say to Tala.

They'd been friends when they were children, maybe more than just friends. He could remember always doing everything with the other boy. They were inseparable. But then the Black Dranzer incident had occurred and he was sent back to his 'grandfather'. He'd even actually forgotten about the redhead for the longest time. And then he'd rejoined the team, gaining back Black Dranzer as well as Tala. Yet he'd been so warped by the dark bit-beast and Tala had been changed as well. The two didn't even remember their friendship that was more like brotherhood.

But he remembered the look in Tala's eyes when he'd left the Abbey the second time, the expression he'd never forget. The other blader had actually looked sad to see him leave. No other person would have seen the sadness in those blue eyes unless they had known to look deep enough and he knew to look. It was that look that had stayed with him this entire time.

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They wanted to rid us of all emotions and yet there are bonds that not even they can fully break. He folded the letter and had to dig deeply into the bottom drawer on his desk to find and envelope. He put the letter in and closed it, finalizing the act. It was pretty much as if he _was_ sending the letter off. He set it back down on his desk and leaned back in his chair, arms in their usual position across his chest.

He moved his own hand and reached into his pocket, pulling out the one thing he treasured and always kept with him,_ Dranzer_. " Hello old friend," he stared at it. " I don't really see what good that did in the long run, but at least it worked for now." He could feel the blade warm in his hand as the red medallion glowed dimly, letting him know how it felt. " I wasn't planning to, I just wanted to get things out. I'm not DOING anything it." The phoenix glowed brighter before becoming dim. Kai stared at the bit-beast in confusion, not understanding the sudden warning he'd been given.

That's when the blue-haired boy felt the eerie sense that something wasn't right. His room felt strangely constricting, like the air was too thick to breathe. _Shouldn't the central air conditioning be working?_ He wondered. He stood up, placing Dranzer back in his pocket, and walked to the window, pushing back the thick black drapes so that he could open it and let some fresh air it. He tried to turn the lock at the hatch that kept the window shut airtight, but found that he couldn't.

" What the hells?" he cut his eyes in suspicion. _Is Grandfather trying to keep me from running away? _Warning signals were going off loudly in his head and he moved away from the window and headed towards the door. He turned the knob, only to find that it too was locked. He pulled at the door, trying to force the lock, but then remembered that all locks in the mansion were electronically controlled in the main security room that was down the hall from Voltaire's study.

He growled deep in his throat and turned away from the door, walking to the center of the room. " I know you can hear me Grandfather," the blue-haired boy said very slowly in an icy, dark tone. " Locking me in my room like a prisoner will not get me to submit to you."

That when a low chuckle was heard echoing around his room. _" Oh my dear Kai,"_ a voice that wasn't his grandfather but familiar nonetheless spoke to him. _" Who said we wanted submission anymore? We gave you your chance and you threw it away. The game is in our favor now."_

" Boris!" Kai shouted in anger. He spun around, not knowing where the camera (or cameras) was hidden in his room. He'd tried many a time to find them only to come up empty handed. A hissing sound filled the air and his eyes looked up at the air vents that were at the top of the walls of his room. A dark smoke was filling the room from the vents and he knew exactly what was happening.

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They've been toying with me, he realized. _They didn't really care whether or not I gave in. I just would have caused less difficulties._ The air was hazy, the smoke blanketing the room like a mist. The blader held his breath, fighting not to give in. He then noticed the strange way that everything seemed to slow down. His mind was fogging up without even breathing in the smoke.

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What the hells…? He was becoming more confused by the minute. _What kind of smoke is this?!_ He felt his chest constricting, unable to last any longer without oxygen. Instinctively, he opened his mouth and took a deep breath, immediately coughing at the inhalation of what he now believed to be a form of sleeping gas. His fell to his knees, trying to remain awake. He _refused_ to give in!

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I'm…so stupid…I fell…for…their…trap…It was becoming increasingly difficult to think, his mind slowly succumbing to the effects of the smoke. His eyes were becoming harder to keep open and his muscles were crying for him to let go, to give in and let sleep take him away. He didn't want to, he couldn't yield to his 'grandfather' and his former 'tutor'. They could see that he was weak now, could see that he was still nothing more than a teenager that they could easily overpower. _So…stupid…_ was the last thought he had before completely collapsing to the ground and giving into unconsciousness.

*****

They waited another minute before allowing the window to open electronically, airing the room out. Ten minutes later the door to the room opened to reveal Voltaire staring down at the sleeping form of his grandson, lying motionless in the middle of the room. A tall man with strange lavender hair, tinted with gray stood behind him, smirking. " He let his guard down," Boris assessed. " He didn't believe you would force him."

" Yes, it was easy after dealing with the spy that fool Dickinson placed in my staff," he agreed. " Now we can leave without being followed."

" But you could have done this earlier, why taunt the boy until now?" Boris had to ask. They'd known for a month that one of the maids in the mansion was a spy for Dickinson and his other inferior colleagues so he was confused as to why they were forced to wait. Then came to point of Voltaire actually telling the blue-haired teen he was returning to the Abbey. Why?

" He still must submit willing," the old man frowned. " He must accept this willing or else nothing will go as planned." He turned then, not wanting to stare at the disgraceful child any longer. " Have two of the guards take him to my personal jet. We're leaving in the hour."

" Yes sir," Boris bowed to him slightly. Voltaire left, disappearing around the corner in the hall, and the light-haired man kept his gaze trained on Kai. " You should have just given in. Things will indeed become harder for you, dead Kai. But rest assured, you will give in, in one way or another." The man smirked, the look in his eyes proving that Voltaire's plan might be the least of the blue-haired blader's troubles. He walked over to the desk, lifting the envelope into his hand and looking over the sheet of paper that had lain next to it. " And this might just _help_ things along."

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A/N: Sorry that it was short. Well, short compared to our usually chapters, but hey it's just a prologue.

Kathrine: As you can see we changed the title from the 'Untitled' bullshit.

JC: Yeah, we found that this one really fits the story.

Kathrine: Don't be mistaken, this has NOTHING to do with Linkin Park. Just the name fits.

JC: So review and check out our new chapter. We have to know what you think!

Kathrine: Can't get better if we don't.


	2. Chapter 1

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A/N: We found it!!!

Kathrine: I hate when we clean our room. WE couldn't find half of our floppies afterward.

JC: We finally found the down in the family computer room and got to finish the chapter.

Kathrine: And right now we're working on a Website so it's taking up a bit of our time.

JC: Yeah, our own place so we can put whatever we want on it and not have to worry about people trying to censor us.

Kathrine: This chapter brings in the other two important characters of our story.

JC: And we have a Title! We changed the first chapter to put it in, but only the last A/N were changed.

Kathrine: A few of implications in this chapter and some things that we hope you all catch.

JC: Now read on an tell us what you think. It's definitely longer than the last one.

Kathrine: The editing is a little messed up because we only looked over the first part. Our eyes are just too tired.

JC: Not to mention the fact that we just found out we screwed up and put TalaxReixTala as the main pairing when it's SUPPOSED to be TalaxReixKai.

Kathrine: So we fixed it and have to put this up again.

Disclaimer: Forgot this too. WE DON'T OWN BEYBLADE!!!!!! We just have half the cast tied up in our gold clothing trunk. It's awful crowded. ~_^

Warnings: Blood, Implied NCS, dark themes, Kai abuse, and anything we didn't mention. ^_^

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Hybrid Theory

By JC and Kathrine

Chapter 1

He hated it. He couldn't stand the sound, though his stoic features showed nothing. Even so he hated to be forced to listen to the sound when he knew what was going on. What ate at him the most was that there was no sound, no whisper, no cries, no anything. Everything was perfectly silent.

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What are they doing to him? he wondered briefly, but then shook the thought from his mind. He didn't care, he wasn't supposed to care. He had left hi-them, anyway. He didn't care what they did to him. He looked down at his bare chest, staring at the bandages that covered the bruised ribs he'd received from his latest training secession. Boris was becoming more demanding and attentive. He wanted them to perform better and was sure to punish them for the slightest misdeed that he meticulously kept track of. Even after the championships had been lost BioVolt was still doing what they did best.

Suddenly his door was opened and he looked up to see the devil's minion himself glaring at him. " Go clean him up," he ordered before walking off down the hall in stiff form that was merely a mask for what he knew he was enjoying. He was confused, but didn't show it as he stood and exited his room. Why would they want him of all people to tend to their 'guest'? It had been almost six weeks and yet they hadn't asked any of the young bladers to do anything concerning _him_.

He didn't have to go far, merely going to the room across from his own, and opened the door to find who he'd been sent to tend lying on his bed, the sheets covered in blood. The other boy didn't look at him, keeping his head turned towards the wall. He said nothing in return, going into the adjacent room and running water for the other boy a bath. As soon as he believed there was enough and it was about the right temperature, he stopped the running water and went back into the other room.

Now the boy was sitting up, using one arm to hold himself steady because the other had a deep gash up the bicep. A dark purple bruise marred the perfect complexion of his face around his left eye and blood no longer dripped from the shallow cut at the curve of his jaw, but still came from the cuts on his well formed chest. He extended his hand to the boy, not bothering to wait for his consent before taking his arm and putting it around his neck. The boy stiffened at the shifting of his weight to the other, but allowed him to lead him to the bathroom.

There the other boy simply lifted him over the rim and into the warm water, seeing as he didn't have any clothes on to take off. The boy almost winced at the pain that shot up through his spine, but otherwise showed no signs of discomfort. He remained completely silent, eyes trained in front of him as if he was lost in his own mind, even though he was still aware of the very cold reality.

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He acts like this is nothing, like nothing matters, the boy thought as he used a damp rag to clean off the blood that covered the boy in the deep bathtub. He didn't understand; why didn't he rebel like he usually did? Why didn't he try to escape? He just remained stoic, unmoving, unchanging, and indifferent. He never tried to fight Boris or anyone, but he didn't try to cooperate with them either. It was like he had just giving up caring about anything.

" You know if you just did what they wanted Boris would stop," he finally spoke, filling the dead silence they been surrounded by.

" Did it stop for you, Tala?" the other boy asked in a dead tone that said as much as the words he spoke. " Did he leave you alone?"

The red-haired boy ignored the truth behind that comment, not wanting to dwell on his own problems. " You're different," he replied. " Voltaire wouldn't let him touch you anymore. You're too valuable to him."

" That's not something to be proud of," the blue-haired teen stated.

" But it's something that can save your life," the other countered.

" At the cost of my soul and my humanity," the younger teen looked up at him, staring directly into his pale blue eyes. " How much has it cost you Tala? How much have you lost and been forced to sacrifice just to stay alive?"

" You must do what you can to survive," the boy shrugged. " What I've done is nothing more than what others have done for the same."

" But can you say you're proud of it?" the other questioned. " Can you look at yourself in a mirror and say you are proud of what you've become? Can you look at _me_ and say it?"

The redhead didn't answer, he merely continued with his task of cleaning the other boy's wounds. He wasn't going to get into a debate over his own thoughts and emotions. He didn't want to think; he just wanted to do what he was told and return to his room. That's all he had to do and he would stay alive, not safe nor sane, but alive nonetheless.

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But do I want to stay alive? He quietly wondered to himself. _Has staying alive been worth all I've given up for it? I thought that everything was so clear, so black and white. Do you as you're ordered and then return to your quarters. Ask no questions and you don't get punished, do not fail and you don't get punished. Everything I do revolves around trying to stay alive and unharmed. What type of life is that?_

" What was it like Kai?" he asked suddenly.

" What?" the blue-haired boy was caught off guard by his question.

" What was it like living away from here, away from Boris and Voltaire, with the Bladebreakers?" he clarified.

" Why?" the other inquired.

Tala didn't answer once again. He pulled out the plug on the tub and let the water drain away from the younger boy as he grabbed the towel from the small shelf a few inches away. Kai was beginning to regain physical autonomy as he grabbed the extended hook on the tub to lift himself onto his feet. He stood somewhat shakily, but hid as much of his instability as he could. Tala could only shake his head inwardly at him, knowing his was only making his injuries worse.

He wrapped the towel around the other's body before helping him to step out of the wide-rimmed tub. He knew that Kai would begin to deny support once he returned to his normal independent mind set. He allowed him to walk somewhat on his own, only using himself as a brace should the blue-haired boy's legs give out on him. He was for once glad that Voltaire was against putting cameras in the bladers' actual bedrooms (much to Boris' disagreement). He believed he had to allow a small amount of freedom to them or tension could rise into rebellion within even the most loyal and perfectly trained of his followers.

Kai made the last few feet to the bed on his own and Tala went to his chest and pulled out a warm long-sleeved shirt and a pair of sweat pants along with the necessary undergarments. Tonight was colder than it had been lately. The blue-haired boy took the clothing without a word of protest, without a word at all. The red-haired boy then pulled the first-aid kit from the shelf above the desk and proceeded to bandaged up as much as he could. Thankfully, no ribs were broken or bruised this time around and all he had to do was cover up the cuts, some not as deep as previous others, his worry of infection on the gash on the other's arm. When he was finished Kai pulled away and he put the remained of the kit back where it had originally been. 

Tala stood still as the other dressed, not at all unused to the sight of another boy, let alone self-conscious about it. He knew that Kai would refuse anymore 'support' from him so he remained quiet, waiting until he was sure the other was taken care of so that he could leave and return to his own quarters. When he was assured Kai would be all right by himself he turned towards the door to exit. His hand was centimeters from the doorknob when the silence was finally broken.

" It was different… nice," Kai said offhandedly, as if he wasn't really talking to someone, more like thinking out loud. The older teen almost didn't know what he was talking about. " We traveled the world, faced strong opponents and strengthened ourselves as well. We never lost when we fought as a team."

Tala turned around and stared at the blue-haired boy. He was staring off into space, his eyes unfocused as if he was in a trance or a daze. " So you enjoyed being with the Bladebreakers?" he inquired.

" I hated it," the other disagreed. " I thought they were all amateurs and didn't deserve to be around me. They were always trying to get to know me, to get under my skin and find out who I really was. I wanted to kill them for it."

" Then why did you stay with them?" the redhead asked.

" Why do you stay here, in this Abbey?" Kai countered. " Beyblading was all I knew. No matter who I was with I supposed to get stronger, be the best. By staying with them I was able to travel and face opponents across the globe, finding out their techniques and weaknesses. I was able to become stronger, just like my grandfather wanted." 

Tala could tell there was more to it, something the other boy left hanging in the air. " So that's all there was to it?" he pushed. " Just you wanting to be stronger. Then why did you come back to the Abbey only to leave again? You could have become stronger here, with us, just like you could with them."

" That's not all there was to it Tala, but you've been here too long to understand," Kai sighed. " I had a chance, given to me by my Voltaire and he didn't even see it."

" What do you mean?"

" He gave me the chance to see more," Kai explained. " The Bladebreakers was more than just a team. We were a group that stood together no matter what, even when I didn't want to stand with them. Tyson always wanting to help everyone, always wanting to be friends with me, even of it meant being friend of his enemy. Kenny was trying to keep the peace, helping everyone with their problems and holding the team together. Max was just a hyperactive ball of energy with an extra dose of caffeine. He and Tyson were like a two team wrecking crew, doing everything together and refusing to take no for an answer or accept defeat."

" Wasn't there someone else on the team?" Tala wondered. " Rei Kon, the boy Bryan faced?"

" Rei…" Kai whispered, thinking about the raven-haired neko-jin. " He seemed to understand what I wanted in a way. He felt strongly about the ties of teammates and friendship, and yet at the same time gave me my space, not trying to smother me like Tyson often did. But he also had this way about him that let me know that he would stick by me, even when I didn't want him to. He…all of them made me realize that I had something I hadn't before, something I didn't even notice until they were pulling me free of a frozen grave at a lake."

" What was that?" Tala inquired.

" That you don't have to be alone, on your own with no one else, to be strong," Kai stated. " Having others, friends, to help me actually proved that. Even if I lost a match I didn't care because I knew I could get stronger and they weren't going to turn their backs on me. It was the closest I had gotten to having a family in a really long time."

" But…" Tala started, ready to defend that they were a family while at the Abbey, but stopped. How could he say that when so many of them would turn on each other just for the chance to be in Boris' favor, for the chance to be strong. Not too long ago he would have done the same, but something had changed in him since the World Championships and he couldn't quite figure it out yet. It was like he didn't care about being as strong anymore.

" This isn't a family Tala," the blue-haired boy replied, as if knowing what his original intentions of speaking were. " A family is bound by caring and trust. With the Bladebreakers I could trust them, even if they couldn't really trust me. Can you trust Ian? Spencer? Bryan? _Boris?_" He grabbed the bloody sheets on the bed and threw them off, turning to lay on his side towards the wall and away from the other boy. "Think about that first."

Tala knew then that he needed to leave, to get out of that room. So many different thoughts were swirling through his mind and he couldn't think straight enough. He needed to lie down and sort everything out. He left the room, shutting the door behind him and not worrying about the sound that echoed through the halls. 

He opened his own door and was about to shut it, but his eyes strayed to Kai's, wondering if his childhood friend was indeed right about what he was saying. Inside he knew the other was, but couldn't quite get past the training that had been ingrained into him over the years. When they had changed him, putting the chip into his brain during the World Championships, he'd felt everything he'd thought before hand slip away, as if all his independence was stripped away. But he'd lost the match to Tyson and the championships and Boris immediately blamed it on the chip he'd implanted, saying it had malfunctioned.

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I bet, seeing as it was originally made for Kai, he thought. But now that it was gone he could feel more of himself returning, as if what he'd lost even years before was coming back to him. He wanted to laugh almost. By taking out the chip Boris and his scientists had unintentionally ruined all of the training they drilled into him over the years. _I'm not blind anymore, _he told himself. _I just have to decide what to trust, my eyes, my head, or…my heart. If I even have one._ He finally shut his door, leaning against it as he sighed. He really needed to go to sleep.

*****

He listened to the conversation, eyes barely concealing his rage. He could tell when the sound of a door shut in the background that Tala had left the room. Boris cut his eyes behind his vision enhancing spectacles. He had thought for sure that his method of punishment and reeducation had been working on his precious Phoenix, but now found himself to be highly mistaken. Everything was exactly the opposite of what he had believed.

When they'd first taken Kai back into their custody, he'd made sure to put a bug in his bedroom. Not a camera because he knew the blue-haired boy would search for one, but small microphone that was very good at catching even the smallest of sounds. He didn't trust the boy no matter how docile he seemed to have become. Now he found out that the boy hadn't even cracked, let alone as broken as he acted. He still held his strong will and emotions, something he'd been trying to rid him of. And NOW he was poisoning the mind of his most coveted disciple!

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No matter, he told himself. _Everything is coming together. The experiments are almost ready. All I need now are the final subjects._ He pushed a button on the console before him, connecting with one of the many labs in the underground base beneath the Abbey itself.

" Yes Mr. Balcolv?" a female voice asked eagerly.

" It Project H ready for its trial run?" he questioned in his usual commanding tone.

" Yes, and all three subjects have been approved," she confirmed. " Each has specified genetics for the upcoming testing. All we need is all is to collect them and begin."

" Good," he smirked, spectacles gleaming. " Be prepared by the end of this week."

" Yes sir!" and with that the connection ended. The lavender-haired man pulled a small envelope from with in his pocket, address printed on it meticulously. _Everything is going perfectly,_ he thought. _You think you're still ahead of me Kai Hiwatari, but you have no idea what I've planned for you._

*****

He listened to the breeze; the gentle whisper of the sounds as it blew across the field and rustled the grass and foliage. It had been a while since he'd returned to his home, two months to be exact, and yet he felt somewhat, empty now then before he'd first left. Yes, being away for a while had allowed him freedom and independence, but he'd still missed the peaceful village. Only now that he was home it was not the same, he was missing something else.

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I came back to teach and yet I feel as if I've left something behind again, he thought. _Whoever said that you lose a part of yourself whenever you say goodbye wasn't kidding. _He stared up at the sky, searching the cloudy blue for the answers he himself couldn't reach. _Maybe I just miss the others too much. We spent almost an entire year together, being a team. We were finally becoming a real team and then everything was over, everyone went their separate ways._

" Rei!" he heard a familiar voice call out. He sat up from his lying position and turned towards the direction of the shout. A small girl with red cat-like eyes and pigtails was hurrying towards him.

" What it is Mai?" he asked to the young eight-year old.

" Uncle Faun just came back from the post office, he said something came for you," she told him in her usual cheery tone. Rei couldn't help but smile at her. Mai was Mariah's younger sister and just as spunky as her older sibling at that, though neither girl would ever admit such a thing. Like normal siblings they had that same 'dislike' for each other that both fueled.

" Okay, I'm coming," he took to his feet, wiping the dirt and grass from his red pants. The little girl put out her hand and he took it chuckling when she began to drag him back to the village.

*****

" I found Rei!" Mai called as she pushed open the door to the small wooden cottage. " He was in the field!"

" Good," a somewhat stout woman smiled as she looked up from her sewing. " We sent her out because you got a letter from the post office and I knew you would want to see it immediately. It's over on the table."

" Thank you Aunt Faun," Rei bowed respectfully to her and turned his attention to the small kitchen just off of the living room. The village had a main kitchen building where everyone went to eat in the morning and at dinner, but each cottage had a personal kitchen if someone was sick or hurt and couldn't leave or something else came up. On the small round table was a white envelope. 

He walked over and picked it up, looking at it curiously. It didn't look like Tyson's or Max's handwriting, the script to neat and elegant, and if couldn't be Kenny's because it wasn't uncomfortably identical to that of a computer's 'Times New Roman' font. _Who would have sent me a letter?_ He wondered. Deciding that it would be best to read the letter in the privacy of his own quarters, he bowed respectfully once again before leaving the cottage.

Outside the clouds seemed to be getting thicker and the sky darkening. _It's going to rain,_ he thought absently. He turned his attention a little and saw that Mariah and Lee were walking towards the woods together, hands clasped secretly between them. He shook his head affectionately at his two friend's antics. It was no secret that Lee had been stuck on Mariah since they were children, it had just taken the girl a while to realize that what she felt was more than just simple friendship or a sibling-like bond.

Rubbing fingers over he envelope again, he made his way to the outskirts of the small village where his personal cottage was stationed. After his parents had died when he was five, the Elders had wanted their cottage kept pristine, everything as it was when they were alive. Rei had been raised by Lee's family since then, but always snuck into the cottage so he could look back into the memories he'd almost forgotten. When he turned twelve, they gave him control of the cottage allowing him to move back into it and take care of his parent's belongings.

He walked down the dirt paths smiling, bowing, and waving to many people, most of them adults, until he came to the secluded familiarity of his own dwelling. He walked to the wooden door, touching it nostalgically before pushing open. The interior consisted of a cozy living room, small kitchen and two bedrooms, one the master, which was slightly larger than the other, the latter only being the big enough to fit two young children. His parents had always wanted a second child.

He sat on the somewhat cushioned couch in the living room, one of the only 'modernized' pieces of furniture his family had owned. He'd been told that on a trip to the city his mother had seen the sofa and had fallen in love with it, the one thing she wanted from her husband for their wedding day. Even thought it wasn't traditional, he'd gotten it anyway. He blushed at another thought. _Aunt Faun said I was conceived on this couch._ One would think he would feel very awkward sitting on it, but it was just another piece to the puzzle connecting him to his deceased parents.

Finally, he turned to envelope he held over, opening it with great care and precision. He didn't want to rip anything important that might be in it. Inside was a letter, which was obvious, but a somewhat long and descriptive one from someone he thought he'd never hear from.

__

To Rei,

This may seem strange, me writing to you, but I guess I just had the urge and could no longer ignore it. Maybe it's because I thought you would be someone that might understand best my feelings. Things around here have become tense and irritable. I haven't seen nor heard from Tyson, Kenny, or Max since we went our separate ways after the World Championships. I believe it was because, 1: I didn't feel the need to, and 2: Voltaire has become somewhat of a constant figure looking over my shoulder. He's more easily set off nowadays, but I guess that happens when you're defeated at trying to take over the world.

He wants me to return to the Abbey and train again under the 'watchful' eye of Boris. He still wants me to take back Black Dranzer as well. He's been on about this for a week now and yet hasn't taken action against my rebellious declines. He's up to something, I just don't know what. He's never been someone to take anyone's dissention from his ambitions, let alone his own 'grandson's'. Dranzer is worried, he feels that something is going to happen soon. Maybe he's right. Fortunately the BBA is keeping close eye on him and he's not stupid enough to try anything.

On a different note, I have something I wanted to tell you. This is hard for me to say, seeing as I was taught my entire life never to do such things, as they are considered weaknesses, but thank you. To you and the others. I can actually say that you four were the first real friends I've had since I was seven years old, but for so long I didn't even remember my life before then that it didn't matter to me. It's strange to not know your past, and yet not even realize that you're missing it. A vital part of my life had been taken away and yet I hadn't even gave it a second thought. Pretty ironic that it also happened to the darkest part of my life.

I could just picture Tyson reading this, eyes wide and mouth open and food not being shoved into for a first. He'd probably ask Mr. Dickinson to have me committed to an insane asylum. Mr. Sourpuss actually saying thank you and showing emotion. What a riot right? Must be a joke. Believe it or not, you four helped me to find that part of myself I had lost to this world of deceit and hidden agendas and I'm grateful for that. Even though I might not show it and completely deny anything hinting towards it. That's just who I am and whether or not people can accept it I've learned to.

Kai

Rei was in shock by the time he finished reading the letter. Kai…had wrote him? And actually wrote what he was feeling as well? This was just too much. There was no date on the letter so he couldn't tell when the blue-haired boy had actually written the epistle, but it didn't change the fact that he had. _He actually thanked m-us, for being his friends,_ the raven-haired boy thought before shaking his head. _Kai couldn't have written this. He would never write something that could be used as physical evidence to his own 'weakness'._

But then he realized something. _I couldn't use this against him,_ he told himself. Maybe that was why the slightly older boy had written the letter to _him_ of all people. Kai knew he wouldn't use it against him. Max would try to use it to open him up more, as would Tyson after the younger boy tried to have Kai shipped off to a nut house. Kenny would use it to try and delve into Kai's personality, analyze the boy's brain to see if he could get to the 'real' Kai. None of them would mean badly, only not understand him enough to just leave it be and go on.

He turned the letter over and noticed that there was a small note on the back. It read, '_PS Guide 11PM._' He stared at it for a moment, not understanding what it meant. _RT Guide? _he wondered. _Does it mean the Regional Tourist Guide building twenty miles towards the city?_ The RT Guide was a business set up by a family of foreigners who became obsessed with the regions climate and attractions. They decided to remain in China instead of going home to their home country and opened the guidepost so that other tourists could get tours of the surrounding area and the mountains with a guide for a reasonable price.

__

Is Kai in China? He wondered. _Could he have sent this letter so that I would come meet him? _His felt a strange flutter in his chest at the thought of seeing the older boy again. He'd been wanting to see his friend again since they'd separated, but never knew what the other boy would think. _But why just send me a letter? Could he be in some kind of trouble? Could Voltaire have tried something and he's on the run from his grandfather? _Too many 'worse case scenarios' were running through his mind, some very irrational. But you didn't know what kind of thing Voltaire and Boris would do. He knew he had to go and meet Kai, even if just to make sure that the blue-haired boy was all right.

****

A/N: See? Heheheheeeee… Poor Rei is so clueless sometimes.

JC: As we've explained before, the title will make sense soon. We just have to get to that point first.

Kathrine: Tala's starting to doubt everything and Kai is nowhere near broken…yet.

JC: Kat…

Kathrine: I won't hurt him…that much. It's not like he'll be the only one!

JC: We want to know what you think please. And tell us if Bryan should be evil or good. We won't tell you the final decision until he shows up.

Kathrine: Yeah, things are really gonna get heated.

JC: This is where we left off in the first version, but I just have to ask. Who else thinks that Kane from V-force is cute?? WE DO!!!! He'd look great with my little cutie selection. (Kidnaps Kane a shoves him in the trunk with the other Beyblade Bishies)

Kathrine: No fighting! We know it's crowded but the guys from YUGIOH took up the closet, Gundam's got the cubbyhole, and the guys from Saint Seiya and Ronin Warriors are fighting over bathroom rights.

JC: WE don't own these people…yet. We just possess them. Now be nice yall and review. ^_^


	3. Chapter 2

****

A/N: Hey guys! We hope you like this chapter.

JC: Everything is getting REALLY interesting.

Kathrine: Yeah, we've also made a few changes to how we're working things.

JC: You just won't notice until later.

Kathrine: Now let's just get this over with.

JC: Oh and for anyone who is confused. This is a TalaxReixKai fic.

Kathrine: Don't think we won't try to work it out. ~_^

Disclaimer: Don't own. Unfortunately. !_!

Warnings: Dark themes, YAOI/Shounen Ai, Implied NCS/incest (or is it?), anything else we can think of but don't remember to mention.

__

Hybrid Theory

By JC and Kathrine

Chapter 2

The sky was dark and cloudy, no doubt awaiting the rains due to fall. Everyone else was doing their evening chores, it being almost ten o'clock and time for the entire village to close. People would remain awake in their cottages, but the town kitchen was closed and so was any other public area. Women were closing up their homes and gathering the children while the men prepared the village for a storm alert. It was possible that the upcoming rains were the beginnings of the storms that usually flooded much of the mountainside. They had to be prepared.

An unknown figure hurried through the shadowed corridors of the cottages, trying not to seen or heard by any of villagers. If he were to accomplish his mission he couldn't be found out by anyone, too many questions would be asked. He turned down on corner, lowering his head so that he could crawl underneath a windowsill unnoticed. Just as he was about to make off towards his destination a happy voice caught him.

" Hello Rei!" Mai exclaimed, hurrying to catch up with him. The raven-haired boy stopped dead in his tracks and spun around, eyes searching to see if anyone else was around. His hand tightened on the bag he carried over his shoulder, the sack carrying a change of clothes and some food in case he would be staying overnight. Kai might need the clothes as well if he was indeed running from his grandfather.

" Rei? Where are you going?" Mai asked, her eyes staring at the bag he held. This seemed very familiar, just like when… " You're not leaving are you?!"

The neko-jin instantly put a hand over her mouth, silencing her exclamation. " It's okay," he told her. " Just be quieter."

She nodded to him and he moved his hand, noticing the sad look in her eyes. " Why are you running away again?" she asked in a downed tone, her voice lower like he'd requested.

" I'm not," he assured her, the words alone making her smile in relief. " But remember that letter I got today?"

" Yeah, what about it?" she titled her head questioningly to the side.

" It was from a friend of mine that might need help," he explained. " I'm just going to meet him and make sure he's all right."

" Friend?" she repeated before her eyes became hopeful. " You mean like the Bladebreakers?!"

" Yeah, Kai actually," he smiled. She almost squealed. Rei knew of her slight 'crush' on Kai. She'd sworn that she was going to marry him one day (right after she married Rei of course).

" Cool!" she beamed. " Are you gonna bring him here to the village? Please ask him to come to the village!"

" Well, I don't know," he placed a thoughtful hand to his chin. Mai gave a sadden look and he smiled. " I'll ask him."

" Yeah!" she jumped up and down before quickly quieting down again.

" But he might not be able to come," he warned her. " He's probably very busy."

" Oh okay," she seemed to calm down. " But you'll try to convince him right?"

" Of course I will," he replied. " But you have to keep this a secret all right? You can't tell anyone about me going somewhere. I don't want anyone to get worried because of me. I'll be back in the morning and they won't even know I was gone."

" You sure?" she gave him a wondering look, not sure whether or not to believe him. " You'll be careful and won't get hurt?"

" Tiger's honor," he swore, placing his hand over his heart. " I'll be back when you get up in the morning."

" Okay!" she gave him an encouraging hug. " Have fun! Tell Kai I said 'hi'!"

" You bet I will," he hugged her in return before stepping back. He picked up the bag again and turned towards the woods. " Don't worry about me Mai, you'll end up looking like Aunt Faun, with wrinkles."

" Ewww," she crinkled her nose. " I don't want to look old. I won't worry at all."

" That's my girl," he waved to her before rushing off into the woods, heading towards the main road. He had an hour to get to the RT Guide building and couldn't be late. He knew of a truck that drove down the road at ten-thirty practically every night, a really nice man who worked out a ways, but lived in the city. He knew he could get a ride from him and certainly reach his destination on time. He just hoped that Kai was fine when he got there.

*****

" Turn in now," Boris commanded, the three boys in front of him bowing respectfully. " Training will commence at 0530 tomorrow morning as usual."

" Yes Boris," they nodded before each turned to go his own way. Tala followed in the back before a harsh hand grabbed his shoulder.

" Tala…" Boris halted him.

" Yes?" he stood straight and stared ahead of him like he had been trained to do.

" Your skill seemed to have improved greatly today, but your concentration was off," the lavender-haired scientist frowned. " Voltaire will not be pleased."

" I have no excuse for my lack of attention," the red-haired boy stated. " I accept my punishment. You may report to Voltaire of my misconduct." Inside he was on the verge of reeling in disgust. That was the way he felt whenever Boris touched him, even if just the slightest brush of a hand. He couldn't stand the older man's hands near him. But he remained stoic, his expression blank and awaited the final decision.

" No need," the other waved it off, something he'd never done before. " Voltaire has been in a rather 'understanding' mood as of late and so have I. But be warned that I will not let this go by twice."

" I understand," he nodded and turned to leave. Something was wrong, never before had the man let him off the hook. 'Punishment' was one of his favorite pass times.

" Oh Tala," the other called to him, his smirk still on his thin lips. " I do not give away leniency freely."

The red-haired boy's back stiffened and his heart stopped. He had spoken far too soon. He knew exactly what that meant. " I understand sir," he continued to walk away once again. He would have preferred the punishment. Tala traveled the familiar passageways, heading down one hall after the next. He turned down the hall where all five boys had their rooms and kept going. Spencer's and Ian's were the first two doors while Kai's, Bryan's, and his were the final three at the far end.

__

Bryan… he thought. _Where are you?_ It had been almost three weeks since he'd seen even a glimpse of his white-haired teammate. It was just like he'd disappeared one night and hadn't returned. And even though he wasn't supposed to, he was worried about him. No matter what Kai had told him just a week before he did consider Bryan his friend. He was the only one that the red-haired blader could count on after Kai had mysteriously disappeared that disastrous night almost nine years before.

__

Did Boris get rid of him? he wondered. _No, he wouldn't, even if he did lose at the World Championships, Bryan is too valuable to BioVolt for that bastard to just up and dispose of him. Something else must have happened to him._ The question was what had Boris done? None of the boys knew what could have happened because Bryan had simply disappeared while he was training alone one night.

He only wished that the other boy were there so that he could talk to him. Bryan's indifference to most things allowed him to think rather clearly, when he wasn't compelled to destroy something. That was just one of the things that had changed in him since they were children. Bryan had been overprotective, honorable, and at times rebellious. But years of genetic enhancements and chemical treatments had turned him into a destructive machine that was 'mostly' obedient to his master. 'Mostly' only because it seemed that the treatments couldn't undo what years of bonding has forged between them.

__

If Boris did something to Bryan I am going to kill him, he swore. He refused to let him get away with harming one of the only people he actually cared about. He stopped at his own door and opened it, about to go in when Kai's door opened from across the hall. His eyes widened when he saw the one and only Voltaire exit the room._ Oh no…_ he thought. He knew that Kai wasn't going to be in very good shape if he'd just had a 'meeting' with his grandfather.

" Tala," the almost elderly man gave him a smirk. The red-haired boy was silent, saying and doing nothing besides staring at the gray-haired man. Voltaire looked rather agreeable, an aura of completion around him.

" I haven't seen you in quite a time," the man stated. " I take it your training has improved?" Tala merely nodded, his body in the stiff military position he'd been taught since he could remember.

" Good," his smirk deepened. " I'll have to speak to Balcov about a 'reward' for you improvements. Something that will increase your abilities."

The fire-haired boy didn't speak. He didn't like where this was leading. Last time Voltaire had offered something to him, a chip was put in his brain and he was trapped in a tube for almost two days. What was going on? Voltaire usually let him be, not trying to push himself towards the young boy. What had changed?

" You may go, but I will speak to Boris," the old man turned away and departed down the hall. 

Tala almost gave a deep sigh of relief, but kept his emotions down, knowing better than release them while in a hall filled with glassy eyes. He looked out of the corners of his eyes and saw that none of the cameras were actually on his right then. He then looked towards Kai's door, his instincts telling him to check on the blue-haired boy. Who knew what had transpired in that room? He knew, but even so, he ignored the voice inside of him and entered his room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

*****

It was soo going to rain. He could tell just by the feel of the near freezing wind on his skin and the way that the trees were battling for their very roots. The man, Mr. Kamilo, was very kind and understanding. He'd smiled at him and immediately told him to get into the truck. He'd even offered to let him sit in the driver's car, which he'd declined. This way he could jump out while he was still driving and not hold Mr. Kamilo up anymore than he already had.

He looked out into the darkness, not seeing much due to the clouds covering the sky, but he still could tell where he was. Another mile and he would have to get out so he could take the off road to the tour service. He grabbed his sack and kept his eyes trained on the road, waiting for his stop. He saw the road coming up swiftly and he tightened his hold on the strap of his bag, leaping into the air. 

He hit the ground, let go of his bag and rolled in the grass, curling in on himself to make sure he wasn't harmed. He got up and watched the truck drive away. He waving to it smiling, " Thanks a lot!" Then he looked towards the road and found his bag only a few feet from where he had come to a halt. He immediately picked it up and walked through the field to the back road that led to his destination.

__

It's probably about 10:40, he thought. _I can be there in fifteen minutes._ He picked up his pace, wanting to get there early in case Kai was already waiting for him. He hiked down the road, staring a head of him so he could keep an eye out for the building. _I hope Kai is all right,_ he thought. _But if he is running from his grandfather chances are that something really bad happened. Maybe I should call Mr. Dickinson and the BBA. They would know what to do about Voltaire._

He was so occupied with the various options and situations that might be awaiting him that the time passed by quite rapidly. Before he knew it that RT Guide was in his sights and he was closing in quickly. He looked around didn't see anyone or anything, the entire area silent and deserted. _I hope I'm not too early,_ he prayed. He walked up the graveled driveway and looked about the guidepost.

There was no one there. The lights were out and the building lock up tight for the night. It didn't look like anyone had been there since the business had closed around nine that night. _But where could he be? _he wondered to himself. He took another look about the surrounding area and found no trace of his blue-haired teammate or anyone for that matter.

" Kai!" he called out into the night, listening to the echo ringing in the air. Just as he spoke he heard the thunder boom from the sky overhead. He looked up immediately and was struck in the face by something wet and cold. Then he was struck again, the drops increasing in quantity and force. Lightning flashed, thunder screamed again. " Damn," he frowned. " I knew this was coming."

He searched instantly for a place to shield himself from the worsening storm, his eyes falling on the jutted roof that was above the garage. He rushed over to it and listened to the sound of the storm becoming closer. He sighed and dropped his bag next to him before plopping down on the ground. _He's not here,_ he realized with a feeling of concern. _What if something happened to him before he could get here? What if his grandfather found out he was coming?_

" Oh Kai…" he murmured worriedly. He continued to watch the rain falling, listening to its serene voice as it landed on the roof and the earth. He would have to wait the storm out before attempting to find a way back home.

Silently, a dark shadow appeared behind him, hidden by the darkness in the doorway of the garage. It stared down at Rei with concealing eyes, scheming ones that hid their mission. Slowly it took a step forward, quiet enough that its footsteps were barely heard. But seeing as neko-jin had acute hearing Rei still caught the noise. His head spun around and stared in shock at the shadow towering over him.

" Who are…?" his question was silenced by a kick that connected with the side of his head. Pain exploded in his temple as he was knocked into the side of the building. His eyes were somewhat blurred but he knew that it would clear if he could hold out long enough. _What's going on?_ he asked. _Why didn't I notice him before?_ He tried to stand, but he was too unbalanced to even get to his knees. The shadow merely stood over him stoically.

He could tell by his height that the person was definitely not Kai. " Wh-What are you…doing here?" he asked, his mind somewhat thrown off by the ambush.

" Orders kid," the person answered just as he felt something prick him in the back of the neck. He winced at the slight pain, but it was pushed to the side by the overwhelming fatigue the flooded his body. His eyes darkened and his mind began to shut down. He couldn't think, couldn't feel, everything was numb. He was barely conscious when he heard the person in front of him talking to someone.

" Call Voltaire, tell him mission's done."

It was then that the last shred of his mind was pulled into darkness.

*****

Something was going on. Kai could tell by the activity going on outside his door. He slowly slid along his bed, ignoring the pain that ran through his body. He'd managed to actually survive the latest 'meeting' with his 'grandfather' the night before, but still felt too weak to do anything after fighting to clean up and get dressed. A tainted scent hung in the air, a permanent stain on his existence since he'd been a small child.

He forced himself to his feet, forced himself to deal with the pain he was feeling. It wasn't something he could just push to the back of his mind anymore, it was too new and yet so old at the same time. He could act like it didn't mean anything to him, like he felt nothing, but indifference, only the pain was still there and not only physical. _I have to put that behind me,_ he told himself. _I've dealt with this since I can remember, this shouldn't mean anything to me._

He almost stumbled when he tried to walk to the door, his bare feet slapping against the chilled stone floor. More noise was coming from outside, the sound of people moving around and someone shouting out orders. He was able to get a few feet before the door to his room was thrown open and a dark silhouette blocked the doorway. " Come with me," he ordered and grabbed the blue-haired boy by the arm, practically dragging him from the room.

To his confusion he watched as Tala was dragged from his room and well and the hall was flooded by guards. To his right he found Boris standing with a smirk on his lips. He cut his eyes into slits and held the growl that wanted to escape his throat. " Oh Kai," the lavender-haired man greeted him. " It's so good of you to join us."

" What do you want Boris?" he demanded.

" Well we have a new recruit," the old scientist replied. " Seeing as Tala is captain he needs to meet him and you…well, let's just call it a surprise." The guard clenched his arm and proceeded to pull him down the hall, Tala being forced right behind him. Now he was sure that something was going on. But he still didn't know what they could they have found to use against him.

He could feel the blood seeping from the wounds he'd bandaged and even the ones he couldn't reach. It was more than just a slightly unpleasant feeling, but one he had become accustomed to; his mind was too preoccupied with other things as it was anyway. He caught sight of Ian peeking out from behind his barely open chamber door, but the smaller boy immediately shut it when Boris turned towards his direction. It wouldn't bode well for him to get caught being nosy.

They were taken down the halls and even down a few staircases, leading to the underground dungeon and reeducation centers. _Who would they keep down here?_ He wondered. Normally new recruits would be kept in the above ground section of the Abbey until their initiations were complete and they had proved themselves worthy of being Balcov's new students. _Twisted that kids would actually _**want**_ to taught by him._ But why would he keep a new blader down in the Cells?

They reached the bottom floor and Kai was forced to taking slower breaths due the dampness of the walls and the stale air. He ignored the memories that wanted to rear their treacherous faces about all of the days, _weeks_, that he'd been confined to these mildewed and scarred walls. He had to keep himself on alert. He had no idea what Boris was up to and that put him at a disadvantage, a disadvantage he couldn't afford to let get the best of him.

It became obvious that he and Tala were being led to the farthest cubicle at the far end of the hall. It was sometimes known as the Dark Chamber because, even though none of the cells had any form of illumination, the events that went on behind those walls were nothing that should ever be spoken (or even _thought_ of) in the light of day. He wished he could look back and see Tala, see how he was taking this or if he'd even been taken down he at all. It was possible that Boris had lied and shipped the redhead to somewhere else, that being what he was best at.

They did come to a halt at the final door, one made of pure iron and steel, four feet thick, and only a small barred hole that could be seen through into the small and filthy room. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, the pit of his stomach was filled with rocks, and his lungs felt like they were being pushed against by a semi-truck. Each one of these warnings were usually enough to put him at guard, but all of them at once was proof enough that whatever was being that door wasn't going to be something he would take with indifference.

" Well?" Boris turned to them, his eyes full of malice behind his goggles. " Don't you want to meet him?" Kai glared at him, not saying anything. " I'll take that as a 'yes'." He turned a motioned for one of the guards the open the cell. Kai listened to the sounds of the many different locks being opened, his eyes trained onto the door itself. His entire body was tense and it was opened, the hinges creaking from lack of use.

Tala was confused. _If this is a new recruit he wouldn't be down here,_ he knew that. But then what was this about? _Are they trying to find a new way to get to Kai?_ That seemed like the most obvious and understandable answer, but then why was he here? What would he be needed for? He watched Kai in front of him, the blue-haired being forced to remain on his feet. He knew it would be very difficult for him to do so on his own.

The younger boy had just dealt with his grandfather a little over twenty-four hours ago and still didn't seem very well. _But that's what happens when they only feed you once a day, keep you locked in your room, and torture you for the fun of it three-fourths of the day, _his thoughts held complete sarcasm. His attention was grabbed when the door was finally opened, the smell of decay and the cold from within the room flooding the hall. He stared into the darkness, the light from the hall filling up the small area it was permitted. What he saw caused him to stare in shock.

Kai's eyes widened in disbelief, his chest constricting and his breath caught in his throat. He could see the form that was chained to the wall, his head lowered, raven hair unbound, tangled, and falling around him. His white clothes were torn and his shirt was only partially on his body, the left sleeve even missing. He wasn't moving and it barely even looked like he was breathing. _God no, not this…Rei…_

" I knew you would be surprised," Boris seemed quite pleased with himself. " The boy was just dying to see you again. Wasn't very cooperative though."

" How could you?" Kai asked, his voice still filled with disbelief. " He has nothing to do with this! Why the hell bring him into this hellhole?"

" I do seem to recall a letter written not to long ago," Boris spoke, enjoying the child's reaction. " I guess after reading it he just had to check on you."

" Letter?" Kai was confused for a moment._ What letter? I never wrote a letter to… Oh no…_ " You bastard…"

" So now you remember?" the lavender-haired man raised a brow. " Maybe this will give you a new 'incentive' during your stay."

__

It's all my fault, Kai told himself. _They brought him here because of me._ " You've gone to an all new low, _Balcov,_" the blue-haired boy snarled at him.

" You're angry, good," he leaned down so that his face was a mere breath away from the boy. " It would be so _unfortunate_ if something should 'happen' to him though…" He let the threat hang in the air.

__

He wouldn't…yes he would and he would enjoy every second of it, Kai realized. He let his gaze fall back on the unconscious boy who was hanging from the wall in the cell. He looked like he'd been beaten, or at least fought back when they'd kidnapped him. The question was how far it would go if he didn't give in. _What if they already…?_ He couldn't even finish the thought. He lowered his head, his eyes closing in submission. He just couldn't risk it.

" I knew you would see things my way," Boris smirked. " Take him back to his room…and you may take Mr. Kon with him."

The guard holding Kai pulled him back immediately, forcing him back down the hall. Tala was silent the entire time. _This was his scheme…to get Kai to follow his commands,_ he wanted to shake his head at how easily Kai had given in. _His team means so much to him, he'd do anything for them. And Boris _**knew**_ it and used it against him._

" Oh Tala, don't think I've forgotten you," the man stood before him, eyes boring into him. " I fully expect you to head up on your new teammate's training."

" What?" he was confused. " But Rei wouldn't…"

" I believe I know how to work around that," he replied. " All _you_ have to do is follow my orders and you won't have to feel my wrath. You're good at following orders, aren't you Tala?"

The red-haired blader lowered his eyes and nodded. " Yes sir," he stated.

" Good boy," Boris ran a hand down his cheek, ignoring how stiff the teenager became. " Now return to your room. You have a lot to do later on."

Tala said nothing. He turned around as the guard released his arm and walked down the hall. _This is wrong,_ he told himself. _Boris has gone to a whole new low. But what am I supposed to do about it? Kai's all ready given in and Rei…Does he even know what he's in for?_

A/N: What did ya think?

Kathrine: It's getting deeper too. And where's Bryan?

JC: Will anyone notice Rei is missing? What's going to happen?

Kathrine: And how are Kai and Tala going to deal with this?

JC: What will Rei do when he wakes up? Or will a shocker be waiting for him?

Kathrine: We're trying to update one of our stories every week so expect another chapter by the middle or end of November.

JC: Please review and tell us what ya think. ^_^


	4. Chapter 3

****

A/N: An update!!!

JC: This would have been out yesterday or the day before but we ended up hurting our hand and it was swollen until this morning.

Kathrine: This chapter I guess doesn't do much until the end.

JC: We really pull out a cliffy I guess. Depends on how you look at it.

Kathrine: We really didn't expect it to turnout the way it did.

JC: Blame it on our parents pissing us off.

Kathrine: You can call this slightly AU if ya want.

JC: We haven't edited it so there will probably be quite a few errors though the spell check said it was fine.

Disclaimer: NO OWN BEYBLADE!!!! WHAAAAAAHHH!!!!

Warnings: YAOI/Shounen Ai, somewhat dark themes, implied NCS, mean older siblings and cliffhanger.

__

Hybrid Theory

By Kathrine and JC

Chapter 3

Everyone one was hurrying about, people's minds encased in confusion and worry. Mariah and Lee both entered the village, their faces downcast in the sadness of their failure. " Where could he have gone?" she asked pitifully, her eyes betraying how concerned she truly was. The dark-haired neko-jin didn't know what he could do to ease her fears for he himself felt those very same worries eating at his insides.

" He's probably fine Mariah," he started. " You know Rei, he enjoys going off on adventures and things like that."

" But last time he ran off was because you and he argued over Drigger," she countered. " No one even knows why he left this time."

" Rei is fine."

Both teenagers turned to stare at the miniature version of Mariah, save for her pigtailed black hair. " You don't even know anything about what's going on Mai," the older sibling frowned. " Why don't you go play with your friends and leave this to the mature people in the village?"

" I do too know what's going on!" Mai huffed at her sister's irritating tone. " I know more than you do!" Her eyes widened at that but she tried to act like she'd said nothing. _I promised Rei I wouldn't tell,_ she told herself. _I can't break my promise to Rei._

" What did you say?" her sister gave her a very calculating look, as did Lee. " What do you know? Did you see Rei when he left the other day? Do you know where he went?"

Mai was silent, her head turned towards the ground. She soo wanted to tell, to shut her sister up and prove that she wasn't just some baby they could brush off that didn't know anything…_But I promised Rei I wouldn't worry and that I wouldn't say anything until he came back with Kai,_ she reminded herself. _He said he was coming back…I don't remember _**when**_, but he said he was coming back soon._

" Well _Mai_?" Mariah frowned. " What have you got to say that we don't already know?" Gods, her sister could be soo _annoying_! She always wanted to act like she was so grown and then couldn't do anything to back it up. She was still just a little brat, always wanting someone (especially Rei) to baby her.

" …I don't know," she mumbled in defeat. She'd keep her promise to Rei. She didn't care if her sister thought her a liar as long as she kept her promise to Rei. He was the only person that didn't look at her as just being a child, the 'little bratty sister' of Mariah. She'd never break her promise to him.

" Just like I thought," the pink-haired girl laughed. " You let your mouth runaway before you even think. Come on Lee, she needs to go find someone her own age and we have work to do." She tugged on the sleeve to her boyfriend's shirt and slowly pulled him away.

Lee stared back at Mai face, seeing that downcast expression and sighed. " It's okay Mai," he told her. " We know you're just worried about Rei too. And you're probably right about him, he'll b back in no time at all." Mariah watched her sister's darkened features brighten at the boy's words before she nodded happily. She then realized she might have been too harsh with her words.

" Thanks Lee!" she exclaimed before practically skipping off. The dark-haired boy turned his attention to the girl on his arm, which wasn't even looking at him.

" Yeah, yeah, maybe I _was_ a little _too_ mean to the brat," she sighed. " But you don't understand what it's like to have a brother _or_ a sister."

" She is still but a child," Lee pointed out. " Her faith in Rei's well-being is probably from her trying to tell herself he will return home unharmed."

Mariah shook her head at him. " You might be right," she acknowledged, " but you won't understand until you have a young sibling of your own."

" Lee!" a voice interrupted their conversation.

" What Kevin?" he asked their vertically challenged friend.

" We just got word from the city!" he shouted as he ran towards them. " Mr. Dickinson's gonna be here in two days!"

" What?" both Mariah and Lee spoke together.

" But why?" she asked in confusion. " Rei's run off before so I don't see why it would be that much of a cause for the concern of the head of the BBA."

Kevin sighed as he caught his breath. He'd ran all the way form the other side of the village to get to them and needed to gather himself. " Their worried because he used to be a Bladebreaker and by all rights still is," he explained. " And since they're the World Champs it's no shock that they've gotten a few threats from people who are jealous 'cause they didn't win."

" So he believes that someone might have 'kidnapped' Rei?" the older boy's eyes widened slightly.

Kevin nodded. " But that's not all of it."

" What else is there?"

" I don't know if it's true…" the short boy looked about skeptically.

Mariah gave him a look that definitely stated she wasn't in the mood for waiting. " So what?" she frowned. " Anything could help right now."

" Fine…" he sighed. "I heard it while I was in the city a few days ago. They say that Voltaire had gone missing in Japan over a month and a half ago."

Lee almost sighed in relief. " I wouldn't be surprised," he spoke. " He's probably trying to hide from the BBA so that they can't send him to prison."

" I don't think it would mean as much if his grandson didn't up and disappear with him," the other stated.

" Kai's missing too?" Mariah raised a confused brow. " Big deal. Knowing that traitor, he probably left willingly. He was always disappearing on his team before. What's to keep him from doing it now that they don't have a team?"

" Like I said," Kevin put up his hands. " It's only a rumor and might not mean anything anyway."

" Knowing that bastard he's probably hiding in his precious Abbey," Lee pointed out.

" I don't think so," Kevin shook his head.

" People know to look for him there, so why hide where they can find you?" Mariah wondered. " For all anyone knows, he could just be laying low in Japan."

" I wouldn't know," Kevin shrugged. " Look, I'm gonna go find Gary. You guys better check with Uncle Faun to see if the adults found out anything." With that he departed, leaving the two even more confused then they were before.

" Rei, wherever you are I hope that the spirits are watching over you," Lee whispered. His eyes looked over the village and he caught sight of Mai playing with two other children, all three working on their beyblades. He couldn't help but think that she knew more than what she was letting on. She seemed so sure of herself when she had first spoke, but quickly became subdued, like something was holding her back.

" C'mon Lee," Mariah pulled him forward. " We still have more searching to do before the lunch preparations." He nodded to her and followed her towards the Faun's cottage. For now, the inquiries of Mai were not his main concern. He'd find out more about that later.

*****

His head hurt so much, and his mind was just a fuzzy. It was like someone had stuffed cotton into his ears and it had infected his brain. His eyes wanted to open, but his lids felt like iron weights. He couldn't even see a light through them so he was unable to tell whether it was night or day. All he could tell was that wherever he was, it was cold. _What happened to me?_ he wondered. _Am I still at the RT Guide? Why do I feel like I've been asleep for days._

" It's of your own best interest to wake up, Rei," he heard a familiar voice speak to him. The tone was very recognizable, but the voice itself sounded so far away and somewhat distorted.

" …Kai…?" he whispered, his tone sounding tired and dry even to himself. He forced his body to concede to his commands and could slowly but surely feel his eyelids begin to flutter. His vision was uneven for a moment, but then it cleared to allow him the opportunity to see his surroundings.

The room was stone, that much was apparent. All that was in the room was a table, desk, and chest of drawers. Everything could be seen from his position, lying on his side and what he knew (or believed) to be a bed. But his eyes then came to focus on the person that had called to him. The person sitting in a chair right besides the bed he lay upon. " Kai…?" he was still slightly confused.

It was indeed the blue-haired boy that had called to him. He stared with emotionless crimson eyes down at him and yet the neko-jin could barely recognize him. His hair had grown longer so that it was slightly past his shoulders, still as wild and untamed as ever with bangs more into his eyes. His tattoos seemed more profound on his pale face, which seemed to have yet to see the light of day in weeks. It seemed like his lip had been split recently, but his mind was still a little too foggy to tell.

" What…happened?" the raven-haired boy frowned. " Where are we?"

" What happened is that you've been taken prisoner," Kai stated. " Location is Balcov Abbey."

" The Abbey?" Rei's eyes seemed to get wide as recognition came back to him of what had transpired at the RT Guide Building. He forced himself to try and sit up, but Kai had to assist him in the end. His limbs still seemed very tired, as if they'd been asleep forever. " How did I end up here?"

" I think the answer to that is obvious," the blue-haired boy almost snorted. " You were brought here."

Rei accepted the sarcasm he heard in the other's voice. " So BioVolt is back in business?" he spoke in fatigue. " But what do they want with me? And when did they get you?"

" BioVolt was never 'out' of business," Kai replied. " And I've been here for almost two months."

" Two months?!" Rei's eyes were wide in disbelief. " But that's not possible! I just got a letter from you a few days ago!"

" It was all planned," the Phoenix explained. " Boris sent that letter to get you off guard so he could bring you here." He wasn't going to explain how he had actually _written_ the letter in the first place.

" It was a fake?" Rei was still somewhat shocked. _So it was just a ploy to get me to the RTG so that they could trap me,_ his inner voice was downcast. _So Kai didn't write all those things. _But that still left one question. " Why?"

" What do you remember?" Kai asked, ignoring his inquiry.

" I went to the RTG near my village like it said to on the back of the letter," the neko-jin started. " I thought I was going to meet you. But no one was there, and then it started raining. I hid under the ledge and someone came out behind me. I remember being hit to the ground and someone on my neck…"

" They drugged you," Kai stated.

" I guess because I don't remember what happened after that," he agreed. " But…I remember moving…I think. Someone was holding me still and I tried to fight them off of me. They pulled on my shirt and my hair. My head still hurts from how hard they pulled. But I don't remember anything else."

" The drug wore off more than likely," Kai told him. " You fought back and they subdued you again. That explains why you shirt is torn so badly and your hair is unbound."

Rei finally took in the sight of his disheveled clothing and entangled mass of raven tresses. _But he didn't answer for why I'm here,_ he finally took in. _What do they want with me? Are they after all the Bladebreakers? Is this just about revenge? Are they going to go after Tyson, Max, and Kenny too? Are they after our bitbeasts again?_ That's when he suddenly noticed the absence of something very important.

He dug his hands into his pockets and looked about the bed around him. " Where is he, Kai?" his voice was slightly frantic. " _Where's_ Drigger?!"

" Boris more than likely took him when you first arrived," the blue-haired boy responded honestly.

" Why? Don't you have-?" Kai cut him off with a shake of his head.

" I haven't even been near Dranzer for almost two months," he calculated. " They more than likely won't return him to me in the first place. They don't want me to use Dranzer."

Rei understood the meaning behind those words. " Black Dranzer?" he asked. " Is that what this is all about? Them wanting you to use Black Dranzer?" Before Kai could answer they heard a lock click and then the grinding of rusted hinges as the large door to the blue-haired boy's room opened, revealing two guards and another that the golden-eyed neko-jin recognized instantly. " Tala…"

" You are wanted by Master Boris," the redhead informed them.

" What does he want us for?" Rei growled in a low voice. Tala didn't answer him but merely turned his eyes to focus on Kai.

" Not 'us'," the Phoenix returned his stare identically. " Just me."

" No," the raven-haired shook his head.

" Stay out of it, Kon," he stood up. " This isn't your concern. Just stay here."

" On the contrary," Tala disagreed. " Kon is to come with me."

" What?" Kai cut his eyes.

" He is to be retrained," the Wolf stated. " Master Boris has commanded it."

Kai snorted, " And you always do what 'Master' Boris says." Tala didn't reply but Rei could have sworn he saw a flicker of hurt disappear in the other boy's eyes.

" Commands are to be followed," he spoke before stepping aside from the doorway. " You would take well to remember that Hiwatari." 

Kai gave him a dark look before glancing at Rei. He knew he couldn't do anything about this, no matter how much he wanted to protect Rei from what the Abbey coordinator would no doubt want to do to him. _He figures he can get two weapons with the same threat,_ he realized. He then noticed the strange look in Tala's eyes. _I know you Tala. You don't want this anymore than I do, but we both must do as we see fit._

He walked towards the door, allowing one of the guards to take his arm in his near painful grip. " Just listen to him Rei, don't do anything stupid," he instructed before following the man grasping him out of the room.

" Come Rei Kon," Tala ordered. " You will take it to heart to know that training begins around six in the morning, starting tomorrow."

The other blader was too busy staring where Kai had once been. _Why would he tell me to cooperate?_ He wondered. _Is he just trying to keep me out of trouble? Or has he really given in to them?_ But he also knew that by not listening to Tala, he would only make it worse for the blue-haired boy instead of himself.

" All right," he nodded getting to his feet. " What am I supposed to do?"

" For now, you only need to follow me," the Demolition Boy replied before spinning on his heel and exiting the room.

" Whatever," Rei reluctantly went after him, the guard taking up the rear. They didn't go very far, merely stopping at the door beside Kai's own room.

" Room 327 will be your quarters," Tala told him. " You will share a bath with Kai, but unless told otherwise you will only have supervised contact with each other."

" What?!" Rei's eyes widened. " Why?! It's obvious you're using something to keep him in line and I'm not going to pull anything! Why can't we see each other?"

A fist connected with his cheek and he was jerked backwards by the unexpected-ness of it. Tala stared at him forcefully. " Those are Master Boris' orders," he repeated what he'd spoken earlier. " Do yourself a favor and abide by them or else you're just going to make things a lot worse for both yourself and him. Now stop asking questions! You are in no position to ask or demand _anything_."

Rei rubbed his knuckled against his sore cheek and regained his balance. Tala only stared at him with an emotionless expression on his face. But every so often something else appeared in his eyes. _There is something about this guy,_ he thought. _It's like he's a frozen lake, hiding something beneath its ice-covered surface._

" You will remain here until you are called for again," Tala continued. " You're clothes are destroyed and in no way warm enough for Russian weather so other garments have been delivered inside for you." He unlocked the door and pushed it open, a slight breath of dust coming from within the room. It was obvious that no one had used the room in many years.

" When will I get to see Kai again?" he asked, knowing Tala had warned him about doing so.

" Only Master Boris or Lord Voltaire can judge that," he spoke. " The guard will remain at your door until it is deemed that you will not try to run or plan such a futile act."

" Didn't I already say I wouldn't try anything?" Rei hated being a prisoner like this. He was stuck, no way of getting out of this situation without causing himself or Kai harm. _But that doesn't mean there is a way out of here that we won't find eventually,_ he thought.

" You will be called for evening meal," Tala moved so that the neko-jin could enter his room, turning on the light as he did so.

" Okay, whatever," Rei replied as he walked into the room somewhat warily. He had no idea what to expect. Strangely enough, the room was identical to Kai's that he had just left, from the bed sheets to the bars on the windows. If he didn't know better he would have thought he was in the same room. He noticed that there were three packages lying on what was now his bed, assuming they were the clothes Tala had spoke of.

" So this is it?" Rei looked about him.

" No, this is only just the beginning," Tala replied as he shut the door, locking as he'd been instructed to. He didn't understand the point. It was quite obvious that Rei would do as he was told as long as it kept Kai from being punished for his actions, just as Kai would behave properly now that Rei's well being was at stake.

" Good, Master Boris will be pleased," the guard finally spoke. " Now return to your own quarters until you presence is requested."

Tala didn't even say anything to him. He merely made a direct beeline for his own room pushing open the door and shutting it. He let out a deep sigh before slowly sliding down the door to the floor. For some reason he felt very tired. He didn't understand. He was used to breaking in new recruits and teaching how they were supposed to behave. Why did he have such aversion to doing the same to Rei?

__

Because he shouldn't be here, he told himself. _Because he has nothing to do with any of this and was forced to be here in the first place. Because he's…because he is Kai's friend. That's the bottom line, he's KAI'S friend._ The thought sent a strange flare of envy through his body. At one time he'd been Kai's friend as well. But everything had changed and all he wanted was to rekindle the bond that he'd lost when his blue-haired companion had disappeared. 

The fatigue gripped him once again and he ran his hand through his fiery red locks. One thought went through his mind and he almost laughed at the irony behind it. _I'm getting too old for this._

*****

Kai waited in front of the door to Boris' office, knowing that the lavender-haired man was aware of his presence there. All he wanted was to return to his room and check on Rei, but he'd agreed to comply with the psychotic scientist's demands and he would. For Rei's sake anyway. The door opened and the devil advocate himself stood there, an obvious smirk on his lips.

" Why Kai, I'm so glad you could join us," he was the first to speak. Kai didn't make his confusion known at the fact that Boris used the word 'us' instead of 'me'. He probably knew 'who' the person was that was waiting anyway. He merely walked through the door and stared into dark eyes that he could see even in his sleep.

" Voltaire." The tone could barely be called greeting.

" I see you've healed quite nicely over the past two days my grandson," the gray-haired man slowly stood. " But now is now the time for pleasantries."

" When does the word 'pleasant' have anything to do with you?" the blue-haired boy inquired sarcastically.

" I warn you boy," Boris interrupted. " Your tongue can cause more than just yourself trouble."

Kai knew instantly that he was referring to Rei and was forced to keep him façade of indifference in check instead of whirling around to give the goggle-eyed man the right hook he so rightfully deserved. " What is it that you want from me?" he finally asked.

" Oh Kai," his 'grandfather' rose to his feet and stepped towards him. The Phoenix remained rooted where he was, not stepping backwards or flinching like his body was telling him to do. A callused hand glided across his cheek before settling on his shoulder. " There are many things that I want from you Kai, many things."

The words alone sent a icy shiver down his spine, but he hid it as well as he could, his eyes not staring into those of the man he was forced to called flesh and blood. " But today I merely want you to go on a small 'errand' for me," he stated. 

Errand. The word seemed to remind him of many things. It was as if he'd heard it spoken this way before, in the past that he still could not fully remember. His eyes were open, but different images seemed to flash instantly before the crimson orbs. Blood. Bodies. Silence. Screams. Guns held in two small hands that should have never touched known of them in the first place. In that instant he knew exactly what they wanted.

" When, where, who?" he questioned, the words coming quite easily from his mouth.

" Here," Boris lifted a large manila envelope from his desk and placed it in the blue-haired boy's hands. Kai undid the metal clasp and opened it, reaching his hand in to pull the papers out if it. " Usually new targets require contact within three or four days. We want this done immediately within the next forty-eight hours."

The first picture was of a man with neatly cut brown hair that appeared to be receding into his hairline. His brown eyes held an understanding and caring expression that he hadn't seen on many adults in his life. He moved the picture to see another, the man was with a young boy that looked very much like him, his son most likely. They were together, the man standing to the side while the boy was facing towards a bey-stadium, a beyblade ready to launch.

He moved the picture again and found the information sheets on the man. The front sheet reported on his high-ranking job as an high tech computer technician for a one of the largest rivaling companies in the Eastern Hemisphere. It was BioVolt's leading rival it the area of Beyblade technology to be exact seeing as it was run by none other that Judy Tate, his former teammate Max's mother. 

" He is to be in Moscow for the next four days," Voltaire told him. " He's here to do research on the ancient bitbeasts that had derived from here. It is said that his son will be accompanying him. It would be preferable if both were dealt with."

Boris smirked, " This shall be your test to see if you've become _too_ 'soft' in your time away from us. He has become quite a leader in his realm of expertise and that becomes a problem for us. Complete this mission. Do not and it shall not be you who feels the errors of your ways."

__

If I don't do this…they'll hurt Rei, he thought with a tone of panic. He had no idea what they would do to the raven-haired boy for this. " I'm not in proper condition to complete this task, I need more time," he replied. He hated admitting such a thing but he refused to end up screwing up such a thing when Rei's very life could be at stake.

" That's why you will spend the next twenty-four hours in the lab undergoing genetic rejuvenation," Boris stated. " The scientists have come up with the perfect way to increasing your healing capabilities past they approximated limit."

He knew what kind of things the people working for BioVolt were doing in their underground laboratories and he felt a sickening knot in his stomach for having to be subjected to one of their 'treatments'. He pulled the one picture to the front and stared at the scene between father and son. _How can I do this?_ He asked himself. _How can I be so willing to do this to them? _The boy in the photograph seemed very happy and the father looked proud to see his son beyblading. It was probably something they did together as a bonding event.

" We expect no failure form you Kai," Voltaire gave him a stare that proved his words. He understood it as the dismissal he'd been waiting for and turned to leave.

" No returning to your room, straight to Lab 5," Boris informed him. Kai gave a nodded of understanding before walking out the room. Boris smirked as he watched him leave before turning back to his employer. " He is almost ready Lord Voltaire."

" I can see," the older man agreed. " The time in the genetic rejuvenation will heighten his capabilities to exactly where we need them."

" What of the other two?" the lavender-haired man inquired.

" They are both near peak and will only need slight altering right before the procedure," he stated. " Tala has already been through this enough times that it will react to him instantly."

" And the other boy has the physical compatibility areas that his specimen required," he agreed. " Yes they will be ready soon."

" Kai only needs to prove himself still able to follow orders as he's told," the old man seemed quite pleased with the turn of events. " And soon my 'special' army will be all that I need."

*****

Kai turned down another corridor towards the laboratory wing of the underground base held by the Balcov Abbey. They been kept down there since the BBA raid that had sent almost everything employee found there to hands of the authorities. Boris and his 'grandfather' still were able to come out unscathed. _And now I must continue what I did eight years ago,_ he thought. _Why did they have to pick a man with a family? And why must I take away that family as well?_

He looked down at the picture of the man and his son once again. He knew what he was going to do was wrong, but also knew he had no choice in the matter. He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry," he spoke to the portrait. " I will make sure it is quit. Your time together has become short, Noah and Wyatt Smithwright."

****

A/N: Betcha didn't see that coming.

Kathrine: Like we said, blame it on our parents.

JC: Will Rei get Drigger back? Will Kai actually complete his errand? Can anyone tell us Max's Japanese last name?

Kathrine: And yes we know we made Mariah seem like a real bitch. We don't exactly dislike her and tried to make her all right in the fic, but that's just how older sisters act.

JC: We know from experience that a girl can be an angel to everyone else but be a real ass to her younger siblings. We have about four of them.

Kathrine: Now no one ever actually said what Wyatt's father did for a living. And seeing as this has nothing to really do with V-force we're making it up.

JC: So please review and tell us what you think. Now we have to get to work updating something else. Ja for now!


	5. Chapter 4

****

JC: We're extremely sorry about this.

Kathrine: We tried to find a way to compact the day and get to Kai sooner.

JC: After spending a week and a half on nothing else but this…we came up with what we have.

Kathrine: We do hope that you like it.

JC: Yeah, especially after how long we made you guys wait for it.

Disclaimer: We do not own Beyblade. But we do own a Rei figurine from Burger King!

Warnings: Angst, Yaoi/Shounen ai, and dark themes. Not much here though.

**__**

Hybrid Theory

By Kathrine and JC

Chapter 4

An alarm went off and he was up immediately, his instincts sending him into confusion. He looked about, his mind not fully comprehending where he was at once. But he quickly caught on with the bed and stone walls and the barred windows with nothing behind them. He was still at the Abbey. The alarm was still going off, but was quieting slowly. Golden eyes lost their wildness as they calmed down and their owner sat back down on the bed from where he had rolled off in his shocked awakening.

His door was then opened, a shadowed figure standing in the dim light coming in from the hall. " Good you're awake," Tala stated. " Get showered, get dressed. Today you train. You have an hour." He then shut the door behind himself without another word.

" Wait!" Rei called out, but he received no answer. He let out a deep sigh before getting up to make his bed. _I hope I will get to see Kai today,_ he thought. _Who knows what they did to him? He just better be all right._ He walked over to the bureau where he had set the three packages from the night before and opened the first. It was a coat. It was black, that much he could tell in the dim light of the room. _At least it looks warm,_ he thought before moving onto the next parcel.

It was an outfit, white-colored pants with black, jagged stripes horizontally on the sides. The long-sleeved, zip-up shirt was identical, down to the peculiar pattern of black stripes on the sides and back, except the fact that the pants were somewhat baggy while the shirt was obviously tight, form-fitting. He lifted the shirt and something fell to the floor. Bending down to retrieve it, the neko-jin realized that it was a hair-wrap of the same thin, yet tough material and pattern as his outfit.

__

They're mocking me, he realized. _They're trying to make fun of me being a cat person, tiger person specifically._ The final bundle was opened and he found it to be another outfit, identical to the other only with short sleeves and the opposite coloring of white stripes and black background. _Why would they want me to wear something like this?_ This was something that he just couldn't understand. But he knew he didn't have the time to dwell on it. He needed a shower, his hair was a rat's nest, and Tala had only given him an hour. _I just hope someone figures out what's going on and pulls the plug on this soon._

After trying to stay awake and make sure Kai was all right, Rei had finally lost the battle with his fatigue. He didn't know what time it had been when he had fallen asleep, but he knew it to be morning now and inferred from how rejuvenated he felt that he had slept for a good nine hours at the least. He wasn't surprised seeing as the entire time he had been waiting for Kai he could do nothing more than simply lay on the bed. He knew it was probably a delayed reaction to the repeated dosage of the sedative he had been given. But now he truly regretted not getting into the shower first. It would only take longer to work through the horrid knots that had become his hair. _Great,_ he frowned, his thoughts sarcastic. _This is really going to be a joy. I hope they at least put a comb or something in the bathroom or else this will take a lot longer than an hour._

*****

He waited outside of the new recruit's door an hour later, timing the limit to the exact second. As soon as the quiet alarm on his watch went off, Tala pounded twice on the door. It was opened then and a figure very familiar yet extremely different walked out. _God,_ he thought. Rei looked as if he had walked out of a biker bar in the middle of a jungle. His clothing was white, yet nothing like the normal traditional outfits that Tala recalled seeing him in before. The stripes fit to the younger teen, making him appear more feline than he already did.

He still wore the yin-yang white headband to keep his bangs out of his eyes, but his hair was pulled back using a wrap mirroring the rest of his ensemble. His shirt was skin-tight, sticking to his body like tape to a sheet of paper, and his hands were wrapped with white cloth, most likely to protect them during training. For some reason the clothes made the boy seem less reserved, more feral and untamed. The way that his hair swished was similar to the wag of an agitated animal's tail and his golden, cat-like eyes were cut in distaste. He was unsure about whether the glare was due to the clothing, or being forced to participate as a puppet for BioVolt.

" Let's just get this over with," he growled out.

Tala only smirked. " Kitty's got a temper," he replied. " I'd advise you to keep it reigned in on a tight leash or Boris will do it for you."

" Whatever," the raven-haired boy retorted, but it was obvious he took caution with his words, his frustration less noticeable. 

" You're to report to Lab 1 for a physical and then to Arena 3 for skill evaluation," Tala told him. " Lab 1 is just two floors above us while Arena 3 is on the one below that. You'd do well to learn that." He then turned and motioned the neko-jin to follow him down the hall. Rei sighed in resignation before complying. He wouldn't fight now, not when he didn't know whether or not Kai was all right or if he would be harmed for his rebellion.

Tala understood the sound when he heard it. It was the sound of a person giving…for the time being. After how the Chinese boy had fought and persevered in his battle with Bryan all those months ago, he knew better than to believe him to be the submissive type. The younger boy was a fighter, not one to let himself be pushed around easily. _But he's not stupid either,_ he thought. _He knows that putting up a fight will only make it worse for both him and Kai._

His eyes fell on the Phoenix's door as they past it. Kai had never returned last night. He would have known. He always knew whenever something was going on with the blue-haired blader. It had been that way between them ever since they were young children trapped in a dark cell together. And now his instincts were telling that something had happened, and that something wasn't good.

__

Why do I even give a damn? He wondered. _Kai abandoned me all those years ago; he left me behind. Something we promised each other we would never do. And when he returned…he couldn't even give me a reason why._

Ignoring the hurt in his thoughts, Tala led Rei to an elevator that had two guards standing there, waiting for them it seemed. "He's all yours," Tala replied. One guard nodded and grabbed Rei by the arm, the other pushed the button for the door of the elevator to open. "I'll be waiting for you in Arena 3 in two hours, a guard will bring you there," Tala explained.

Rei was shoved not-so-gently into the elevator and the guards followed him. He turned around and stared back at Tala, looking deep into his crystal blue eyes. They were so cold, yet so mysterious. It was obvious that something about the boy was different since he remembered from the World Championships. The stoic yet calculating gleam was gone from his eyes. 

It was like there was simply a mask in its place, playing out the way the red-haired boy was supposed to think and act. It was a somewhat disturbing notion, but Rei had always known he was good at reading people. The only person he had never been able to figure out was Kai. Even so, he continued to stare, his golden eyes never leaving the older boy's until the doors shut and the elevator began its trek.

Tala wanted to sigh as soon as he was alone. It was becoming harder every day to keep going, especially without Bryan there to go through everything with him. _Kon is a lot like him,_ he thought. _Would Bryan have turned out like him if he had never come to the Abbey? Would he have still been that rebellious, that strict in his beliefs, and so proud? What would all of us have been like if we had simply grown up normal lives?_

" Tala!" a voice behind him called out his name. " We're wanted in Training Room 1 for the Newbies that were brought in two days ago."

" I'm coming Ian," he replied, turning to face the much shorter boy. " Just making sure a certain new recruit got to where he was supposed to go."

" Boris won't like it if we're late," Ian stated. " Spencer is already there waiting for us."

" All right," he nodded and the two took off down an adjacent corridor, remaining quite so as to not attract too much attention from the cameras following after them.

" Tala…" Ian started in a low tone, not really sure how to start. " There's been rumors…"

"About what?" he inquired, his voice equally low. They could hear each other perfectly due to their enhanced senses.

" About Falcon," he replied. Tala knew that he meant Bryan, for 'Falcon' had been the nickname the lavender-haired boy had given him after he had saved the life of the same type bird when they were younger. It had been shot when a few of the guards had taken to firing their guns into the air one morning. Bryan had caught the bird after it fell and helped to heal its injured wing, which had only been grazed and singed by a rogue bullet. 

Boris had caught the white-haired boy releasing the bird back into the wild after he'd hidden it in his room for three months. It had been terrible. The bird had refused to leave him and in the end Boris had the bird shot down, barely alive, and the extracted its spirit to create a bitbeast, Falborg. Bryan had then been beaten, and sentenced to solitary confinement in the cells for a month. After that was when the experiments started. Boris had thought Bryan far too compassionate for his own good and sought to rid him of it.

" What rumors about him?" Tala kept the anxiousness from his voice. Ian knew that he was worried about their missing partner without him having to accidentally let it be known out loud.

" Some of the other guards are talking about the arrival of a certain 'recruit' having to do with why he's missing," he answered. " They say that all of it is connected."

Tala frowned slightly, barely noticeable. " We better start listening a little more closely," he decided. " Most rumors around here have some truth to them."

" Will do," Ian agreed before falling completely silent. Boris wouldn't like to hear them conversing.

That day they were supposed to begin the training of the new children that had been brought to the Abbey's underground headquarters a few days earlier. After the initial raid by the BBA months earlier everything had been moved underground. The Association hadn't known about the lower levels of the Abbey, the ones that only a few knew how to get to. Those people being the ones no one could find.

They had attempted to take custody of Boris, Voltaire, and the Demolition Boys right after the Award Ceremonies two days after the end of the World Championships, but they had failed to show up. Instead they had taken the time to take everything inside the actually Abbey and remove/destroy it. The Abbey was practically a condemned building now, boarded up and not supposed to be used until after the BBA and government's investigations were through. But that sure as hell didn't stop BioVolt.

__

Those people are so blind, Tala thought. _They only checked the above levels, not the ones beneath the second underground floor. And they never thought to do a second check after the government locked down the Abbey Estate. They automatically assumed that they could get their evidence somewhere else and that Boris had fled the country. Boris would never do something so obvious. And because of their stupidity, people are getting pulled into this that don't belong. Like Rei…like Kai…_ He pushed the concerns from his mind, he couldn't think about any of this now. He had a job to fulfill.

*****

He growled at the feeling of the electrodes against his skin. As soon as he entered Lab 1, he had been forced to take off his shirt and strapped down to a gurney. Next the scientists/doctors (or whatever they were considered) started to stick needles and wires to his body. They were hovering over him as it was, checking his eyes with small, yet bright flashlights, sizing his canines for some strange reason, and pulling on his hair as if it was a piece of rope. He had already tried to bite one of them, despite his resolution to behave. His hair was sensitive!

" His vitals are perfect," a female doctor spoke to another beside her. " Enhanced healing has already taken into effect and most bruising from retrieval had faded. Bones and muscle system have high percentile for agility and endurance. He seems it top condition." Rei was barely paying attention; he was busy trying to ignore the slight jolts of electricity being sent through his body and had been for the past twenty or so minutes.

" Good," the male doctor replied. " Now we need to check his reflexes and reaction time to pressurized situations." He then walked from the behind the computer-console and removed the needles sending the electricity from the raven-haired boy's body, then uncuffed his hands from their confinements. " Stand and back away from the center of the room."

Rei did as he was told, standing back away from the center of the room. Two guards removed the gurney and equipment from the area, taking it out a separate door. Suddenly, his ears were assaulted by the sound of gears turning and the groans of machinery in need of a good oiling. He winced at the loud echoing noise, the high pitch all the more unbearable for his sensitive, keen ears. That's when the center of the room spun, then opened as another floor raised up. His eyes were wide at the extensive equipment he saw. Weights, treadmills, stairs, an empty glass tank the size of a six-foot cube, and bars that descended from the ceiling.

__

How could they hide of all that so easily? Rei wondered. _How far underground are we? How much space is there between the floors? How much money did it take to do this?_ Most of his initials questions he didn't care much for the answers to. But what he did wish to know was what all of this would lead. _Why is BioVolt going through all of this trouble? Is it really all about Kai and keeping him in line? Or is it something else? Are they planning on going after all of the Bladebreakers? How can I warn them? Or is it too late?_ Before anymore roaming inquiries could come to mind, the doctors were ready to continue and Rei was sure he would be tired by the end of it.

*****

And indeed Rei was tired about an hour and a half later. His hair was still pretty much soaked from being stuck in the tank and performing underwater tests. He felt like his stomach was knotted from the running, chin-ups, and weightlifting he'd done in so short a time, not to mention the shock pulses they reintroduced to his body at the end so the scientists could compare the results to the originals.

They had told him to go to the elevator where the guards would be waiting for him. He was surprised that he didn't have guards following his every move because of him being an escape risk…or maybe they didn't think of him as one. He still thought of it as an easy task and set out to do it…but ten minutes later he finally admitted to himself that he was lost in the bland and unadorned corridors. _What do they expect when everything looks the same as the stuff before it?_ He wondered. _I don't even know how to get back to the lab to ask for directions! And I know I'm late for meeting with Tala…I just hope Kai doesn't get in trouble because of it._

He stopped his walking, the slight echo of his footsteps halted, sending the hall into complete silence. The raven-haired teen could see the two halls leading off of the corridor at the end, but didn't know which one to take. That's when he thought he heard the distant sound of people talking, steadily getting closer to him. _I could ask them,_ he thought. _But I could get in trouble for walking around this place._

So he backed away, going towards one of the many indented doorways in the corridor, though still not too far away that he would by unable hear.

"…because he wants him ready by tonight," he heard a male voice state, as if replying to a question. " And you know that he HATES to have his plans set back."

" Well his will be ready quite soon actually," another voice said. " His physical rejuvenation capabilities is astounding, and the solution seems to speed it up even more."

" Good," he nodded. " They'll be coming to check on him within the next half hour, possibly sooner."

" Well if all of the subjects react to the new solution the way they do the other…" the voices trailed off and the footsteps faded away down the hall. Rei let out a quiet sigh in relief at not being discovered. He truly didn't want to get into any more trouble than he was already in, being as he was trapped within a secret BioVolt training base. Who knew what they would do to him…or Kai?

But he couldn't deny that his curiosity was raised. Who had those two doctors/scientists (he still didn't know) been talking about? Who had to be ready? Did he really want to find out? _But that someone could be hurt,_ he told himself. _They said he was healing? What could have happened?_ Not really meaning to, Rei began to sneak towards the corridor that the adults had come from. He took a peek around the corners and saw that no one was coming from either way, giving him the perfect opportunity. 

He took off down the left hall, his eyes alert for anyone else as he looked about. He didn't even know what he was looking for. _Maybe if I saw an open door or something, but almost every one of these takes a special key like a room at a hotel._ He looked at the different doors and sighed. _I should have just tried to find my way back to Lab 1. _That's when he caught sight of a glass wall, or more like a window that took up quite a large space of the wall.

__

What does that lead to? He quickened his steps and pushed himself against the wall. Slowly, he leaned over, leaned over to look into the room. It was a laboratory of some sort, he thought. There were consoles and machinery everywhere, far more than in the lab he had just left. He also noticed that the lights in the room were dimmed and glass 'tubes' seemed to be set up in two neat rows against the left and right walls.

__

What is this place? He looked at the large tubes. They were large enough to fit people into, at least young teens and children anyway. But what drew his attention was the dim glowing tube at the far right of the room. It was emanating a deep red color and appeared to be filled with something. _Oh Gods, is that a PERSON?!_ Taking a closer look, he saw the very familiar features, the wild hair flowing around a blank face that was covering by a mask, baggy pants and a tight dark tank top.

" Oh my Gods…" Golden eyes were beyond wide and shock controlled his thoughts. He couldn't do anything but stare in disbelief. " Kai…"

" What are you doing here?" 

He didn't even notice the presence at his back until now. Spinning, he found himself pressed forcefully against the glass, shoulders in a harsh grip. Eyes covered by a darkened visor glared at him with a stone cold expression. " I ask you again…" his voice was hard and his grasp tightened. " _What_ are you doing here?"

" There's no need to frighten the child so, Balcov," another familiar voice pointed out. Rei looked to the side and saw the person that he knew to be the cause of everything that had been going on. Voltaire.

He then felt Boris' hands loosen, lowering his body back down to the floor from where had been suspended inches into the air. " Yes sir," he replied.

" But that doesn't mean your inquiry is unfounded," Voltaire set his gaze on Rei. " How did you come to get here, when you should be in one of the arenas…with Tala."

Rei knew he was in for it, so he might as well just tell the most truth. It wasn't like he had gotten lost purposely. " I couldn't find the elevator," he replied, keeping his voice as level as possible. " I got lost and couldn't get back to the lab that I left from. I heard voices and down here, but they had turned somewhere else. I thought…I thought I could find the way out…"

" If that is true then the cameras will surely show it," Boris still hadn't taken his eyes off of him.

Rei hadn't even thought about the cameras! How much trouble would he get into if they found out he had actually HID from the scientist/doctor/people? Oh well…

" Quite 'odd' that you would somehow find your way here," Voltaire stated, "…to Kai." The elderly man looked up then, gazing through the glass to the suspension cell that housed his unconscious grandson. " He is merely resting, regaining his strength. They are called the suspension cells, perfected science that accelerates healing proteins and cells in the body. You, yourself will most likely use them."

Rei looked up at Voltaire as Boris finally released him, not understanding the strange tone in his voice. His eyes were somewhat glazed in a way, but his intent was strictly to the boy within the room floating in the red liquid. For some reason his stare made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a chill go down his spine. He didn't like it when the man stared like that. He _definitely_ didn't like it when he stared like that at Kai.

" Lord Voltaire, Master Boris."

__

Oh no… Rei knew he was in for it now.

" Oh Tala," Voltaire gave a small smile. "I see you've finally come to collect you missing 'student'." 

The redhead bowed, but his eyes were on Rei. The raven-haired boy could tell that he wasn't happy with him. " I apologize Lord Voltaire," Tala spoke. " I expected the guards to escort him to Arena 3, but I should have done so myself."

A hand touched his arm, a hand he didn't want there. " Make sure to keep and eye on this one," Voltaire ordered him. " He's an inquisitive kitten." The hand rubbed slightly, stopping Rei's blood cold. All he wanted to do was get as far away from him and Boris. He wanted to return to his room, return to his village where he knew that the White Tigers were ready to shave him bald and skewer him for giving them such a scare…again. But unfortunately he was in a situation that he was trapped in a some secret headquarters with two psychos and a bunch of people who really didn't give a care.

" Yes sir," Tala bowed again before reaching out to grab Rei by the arm. The hand was gone and he was relieved, not even protesting when the Demolition Boy dragged him down the hall.

" I will be calling for him Thursday afternoon," Voltaire told them. " Bring him to my study at 1800."

" Yes sir," Tala nodded and pulled Rei farther down the hall and around the corner. When they were far enough away he shoved the neko-jin up against the wall. " You idiot! What did you think you were doing?!"

"I-I got lost trying to find the elevator," he explained quickly. " I couldn't find it. And then I found Kai…"

" Next try standing still!" Tala growled. " Someone is bound to find you!"

" Okay!" Rei said, trying to get the older boy to back off. " I didn't mean to get lost!"

Tala seemed to calm down instantly, though it was obvious he was simmering. " You're to return to your room. You will confined there for the next twenty-four hours. You will be brought meals."

" What?!" Rei's eyes widened and then cut in anger. A heavy hand grabbed the front of his shirt, shoving harshly against the cold wall.

Tala's blue eyes were dark, darker than they should have been. He growled slightly and slight fangs were bared. " Don't…push…you…luck," he warned him. " You will do as your told. No questions asked."

Rei's own fangs hand been bared by then. He wanted to punch this guy in the face. _Remember Kai,_ he told himself. _What if he's the one that gets the brunt of this?_ The thought calmed him down. He didn't want to cause trouble if it would only turn around and hurt his friend instead. " Fine, I won't fight," he gave in, something he hated to do.

" Good," Tala released him. " Now I will take you to the elevator where the guards WILL return you to your room. Forget what you've seen for now. You can't do anything about it." With that he started off down the corridor.

The redhead was on edge. What would have happened if he hadn't gotten there when he had? Would his being there had meant anything? And why was Voltaire acting so 'pleased' lately. It was like a kid about to get a bowl of ice cream with syrup and candy on the side. And the way he had been touching Rei…

__

What is going on around here? He wondered. _This isn't going to end well, no matter what._ He didn't glance back at the boy he was leading, but he couldn't help that he felt a strange sense of concern. Something was going to happen, something big. Too many things were adding up to it. The new young recruits brought it, Rei's arrival, how accommodating Voltaire had been as of late. Tala could smell gunpowder waiting for ignition._ I just don't want to see the aftermath of this when it all blows up._

Kathrine: Lots of stuff, but no action.

JC: Rei just keeps getting pushed around doesn't he?

Kathrine: Are there any good artists that are willing to draw a picture of Rei in either of his new outfits? We have pictures in our mind, but we would like to know what you guys are seeing.

JC: I think they would look good on him. But that's only because he's Rei.

Kathrine: So was this not up to par? Mistakes are due to wanting to get this out as quick as possible.

JC: Please review and tell us what you think. Writer's Block on this was horrible. Maybe your comments can help prevent it from happening again.

Kathrine: Next chapter Kai wakes up. We'll see how the mission begins.

JC: Maybe it doesn't go as well as it should? Give us some ideas. (Looks hopeful)


End file.
